The Swan Paddling against the current

This story is inspired by a Word that came out of our Sunday morning church today.

The Sun was high in the sky shining across the river which made its way through wonderful landscaped mountains.  I sat on the edge of the mountain peering down at the lake at the end of the River through binoculars. The landscapes were impressive to say the least. A movement caught my eye as I was going over the landscape. It was a Swan on the lake trying to paddle against the current of water pushing it downstream. The swan tried it’s best to move upstream but seemed to constantly be pushed back by the torrent of water moving in the opposite direction. The Swans reflection in the water got churned up as the Swan tried to paddle harder and harder. Eventually the Swan realized that going against the current was not working and it stopped paddling and floated with the current. The Swan with a few kicks then used the current to take to flight and soar into the air, leaving behind all the struggles of going against the current.

In life we are sometimes like that Swan. We struggle against Gods plan for us. The more we struggle the more we don’t reflect who we are and we don’t get to where God wants us. We need to go with the current and allow God to give us what we need so we can take flight and get beyond all the issues in life. Let God be in control and reflect Jesus by allowing him to form you. Let the Potter be the potter and don’t fight so hard to be something you were not designed to be.

Cheers

Greg

The Great Circus

I let go of my father’s hand and ran as fast as I could. I could hear the voices and the sounds of Animals. I could smell the distinct smell of grass. In front of me was a barrier. A tall wooden fence made of pine. That was all that stopped me from seeing the Circus. I ran down the fence a few meters and found a hole big enough to put my eye on. I looked in. I could see a tail. It was something large and grey. It must be an elephant if only I could see the rest.  I ran further down and found another hole. I peered in to see what I could find. The Elephant had gone and all I could see was colour and movement. I could not tell what it was. The frustration in mind was building. I wanted to see everything. I ran to the next hole and checked again. There, I could see it, it was a monkey holding onto something……I could not see what it was. I was so frustrated. My Father was following me silently seeing what I would do. I ran to another hole and peered in….an elephant. Wait, I had been to this hole. I ran further and tried again. It seemed no matter what hole I tried I always came up with a small view of what was going on. I turned round and looked at my father. I was sad and my face showed it. I said with great disappointment.” I can’t see anything”. My father reached down. Grabbed me by my arms and lifted me effortlessly to his shoulder. My world erupted in colour and movement. I could see everything. I could see a large Elephant balancing on a block. There were monkeys dancing around. There was the colour of the clowns with their bright red noses playing tricks on each other. In the corner was the best of all a male lion in all his glory with a huge mane.  I could now see the entire Circus and I was happy, Happy that my father had been there to lift me up.

Often we try to put everything together in our lives and understand what is going on but only God see's the entire picture. We need to rely on him and trust him to show the full story when the time is right. Without him we will have limited view and will only see in part.

Cheers

Greg

The stupidity of humanity

We build gadgets that can do great things and then discover that they fail to boot up, freeze, overheat, crack and eventually die. We build cars that can take us to great places……we then realise that they have no fuel, need maintenance, rust and eventually also stop working. We build ships to move great things great distances, we marvel at our great works and then realise that they sink, rust and eventually stop working. We build buildings that are skyscrapers…..wow…..then they fall over, get washed over, crack and fall down. We build great dams to hold back large rivers…..amazing…..until they burst, flood, leak and destroy humans.  We play with atoms…. Incredible…then they blow up and wipe out more humans. We fix our bodies with our skill… a pill here, an operation there. Yet we still die at less than 100 years. We get diseases, plagues and still eventually die.

Yet God made animals that live longer than us. He said we should not live longer than 120 years….and it was so. He created mountains larger than our skyscrapers and they stay where he put them unless he wants them moved. We marvel at a distance at the planets, stars and galaxy’s…..but we have not been there. God has. We has been there, created the planets, stars and galaxy’s and knows every single one by name….we haven’t found them all yet never mind given them names.

If we were so evolved why can’t we sense an earthquake with our feet, swim under floods with our gills, fly to the moon and back without mechanical assistance. Create food for the nations from nothing.

It’s simple….we are stupid…. when compared to God. You can try what you want. Be a genius. You still don’t get close to what God can do. We can’t even imagine it. Yet we have the audacity to try to proclaim ourselves god through our small science kits…….Ridiculous.

Cheers

Greg

Breaking News - Rabbi saves woman from stoning in Israel..

Today a Woman caught in adultery in Israel was led by a mob of Pharisees to a local Rabbi for punishment. According to Jewish custom the woman was to be stoned to death for her Sin. The Man she was with was not to be found and seemed to have escaped the mob. An argument took place over the legality of the stoning based on Jewish laws. The Rabbi argued that the men wanting to stone her had sinned just as much as the woman and therefore could not stone her. He indicated that based on their interpretation of the law they should also face the death sentence. The result of which is that the men left the scene leaving the Rabbi with the accused and a large pile of stones. The Rabbi said he would not condemn her however she did need to stop living her life of Sin.

This story was taken from John 8:3 in the Bible. Read the story and then consider the message Jesus has for you. “Neither do I condemn you, Go and Sin no more”.

Jesus does not want to condemn us. He loves us and wants us to follow him whole heartedly. We will never have the strength to do this alone. We need the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to make it through each day. Pray and invite the Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you. Allow Jesus to be your friend. Listen to him and respond to him. Yeshua Ben David.




Cheers


Greg

The Great Inheritance

One upon a time there was a young man whose father passed away and left him and inheritance. The will was read out and two items were sent to the son. First he was given a gift. It was a gift neatly wrapped in a small blue box with a ribbon on. Secondly he was given his Fathers mansion. This mansion was the largest ever built in the entire world and was worth huge sums of money. The Son was so delighted in receiving the mansion that he ignored the small blue gift and rushed to the mansion. After walking around the mansion he realised that a large section of the mansion was closed off behind a large vault door. The door was very, very big. It was like a door he had seen on movies protecting great treasures. He knew that there would be great treasures from his father behind the door and all he needed to do was open it. Rooms would be opened and secrets would be revealed that would change his life. He called a locksmith who tried to open the door unsuccessfully. He called another locksmith who failed just as badly. The young man tried other locksmith’s. He got the best safe cracker in the world at a hefty price. He Tried angle grinders and other heavy machinery but nothing would work. One day he arranged for someone to try blowing the door open with dynamite, then c4 and then shape chargers but the huge metal door stood firm.

The young man was no longer young. He had spent many years and much of his wealth trying to open the door in the mansion. He had sacrificed time, money and his relationships to try to get into the Vault. Everything he had tried had failed. He had nothing else to leave his son and that had saddened him but it was too late. On his deathbed he breathed his last breath and left the mansion to his son. The son walked around the mansion and searched the house. Everything had been sold and the house was empty. While looking in the study he noticed a small blue box sitting on the top shelf. It had ben untouched. The wrapping was a little worn. The ribbon was no longer in place. The son wiped the dust of the gift and began to open it. Inside was a shiny key. It looked like it had never been used. There was a note which read. “My Son, All I have is yours. Open and enjoy.” The young man knew that it was the key to the Vault. He ran to the vault and searched the door for the keyhole. In between the scratches dents and bumps from all the work that had been done on the door he found a small hole. The key slid in perfectly. The Key turned smoothly with a small click. The key seemed to trigger a series of loud thumps as the locks that had stood in place for many years began to move out of place. The door swung open and before him was a long passage with many rooms on the side. He knew that it was going to be a long time before he discovered what was behind all the passages and doors that now lay before him.

God has left you a key that opens many doors and many surprises. The Holy Spirit is the key to all the hidden secrets that God has for you. Find the Holy Spirit, find Jesus, find God.

Hope you enjoyed.

Cheers

                Greg Hay

Raised from the Dead

Today I have two stories. One I wrote and the other is a true story I was told by the person involved.


Enjoy.


We had been hiking for days. It was a celebration of our childhood. We had all been scouts and done this many times. Planning the route, the overnight stops, the meals. We had all become springbok scouts. We knew exactly what we were doing even though it had been a few years since that ceremony. We knew what to watch for in weather patterns and how to survive if things went wrong. The problem with a lot of training these days is that's its done in a closed environment where everything can be controlled. Out here in the mountains we were on our own with very little control. The weather was one of those uncontrollables. The clouds had moved in rapidly. They were dark and nasty and we were no where close to shelter. Just as we picked up the pace the rain started. At first it was a drizzle, then it began to bucket down. The path began to get slippery and we knew we were in trouble. Despite our training pride pushed us forward. We wanted to get to shelter.


Suddenly there was a might crack. I could feel myself lift off my feet from a mighty jolt and then nothing.


I slowly came round. I had a throbbing headache. My face was covered with water. I wiped my eyes so I could see better and saw blood on my hand. I must have hit a rock with my head. I looked around and saw the others stirring. We must have been near a lightning strike. I could smell the sulfur, I could also smell something else. It was burnt flesh. I jumped to my feet and then I saw Jack. He was lying a distance away and was not moving. I raced towards him with the others close behind. What we all saw confirmed our worst fears. Jack had taken the force of the lightning. His feet were burn to a crisp and almost unrecognizable. I bent to check his pulse. Nothing. Tears started to mix with the rainwater and blood. We all stood immobile. Just standing.


I saw movement to my left. It was another group of hikers. They came directly to us and then I recognized the leader. It was Jesus. He did not say a word. He knelt next to Jack and took his hand and bowed his head as if in prayer while water streamed down his face. At first I could not believe my eyes. Jacks feet began to transform. At first slowly and then at a rapid rate. The burn crisps changed to normal feet with skin and toes. As I  watching I heard a cough as Jack spluttered to life. Jesus had risen the dead it what was impossible circumstances. Jesus stood and began to leave with his group. I then noticed the rain had stopped and the clouds had gone.


Cliff, a man I admired who has passed away once told me the below story.


Cliff was preaching in a tent in Harare Zimbabwe to a large crowd. He was worked up and giving what he felt was a really brilliant sermon. He was in the middle of his sermon when down the isle came a mother and father carrying their motionless son. It was the norm for Cliff to pray for healing. He did it all the time. I had witnessed a leg grow when he prayed for one young man. The couple with their son however was disturbing a really good sermon. He quickly prayed for what he thought was a sick boy and then carried on preaching. That night he had a really good response from the crowd.


The next morning the interpreter explain to a shocked Cliff that the boy had been dead for a number of hours. After Cliff had prayed and the family had gone outside the boy had revived. The entire community heard the story and were very moved. Cliff said quite frankly that if he had known the boy was dead he would not have prayed for him.


God works in mysterious ways.


Cheers


Greg hay

Family Business and The CEO Takeover

Once upon a time there was a Family. The Father of the family was wealthy and had great power. His Family Empire spread far and wide. The family loved the Father and always spent time listening to him. He had many sons, daughters and servants. His three most trusted servants looked after everything. However since it was such a large Family one of the trusted servants of the Father decided to take over. He wanted to be the CEO and felt that he had the right to be in charge. He moved some of the family wealth into his own bank account and took over some of the family businesses. With some of the other servants he placed himself in charge. The family followed this servant who was now CEO. He tried to remove everything that reminded the people of the real Father and the family business.  He made the people work extra hard. He made them so busy they did not have time to look for the real Father or care about the family business. The new CEO led the people into illegal businesses. Stuff the Family business would never have done. Over time people forgot the real Father and what the family business was about. They forgot where the Father lived and how to get to his house and visit him.

The Father was saddened by this. He was sad that family could not find him and visit. He had very little family around for Christmas and Easter.  He was sad that no one came to visit and talk to him anymore.  They were far too busy.  He had his lawyers try to get the money and the companies back from the servant. He had the illegal businesses investigated. He knew he would win but it would take a long time. The Father had a son and decided to send his son to speak to the people. His son should be able to convince the people to work for the family business again. The Son knew the Father and could lead the people back to the family home and the family business if people would listen to him. The more the Son tried to convince the people to go back to the family business the more people resisted.  Some people enjoyed the illegal businesses they were in. Some people had made a lot of money and did not want to lose it. There were some people who wanted to go back to a family business. They knew that it would be better for them. The CEO was upset and got some thugs to ambush the Son and kill him so that people would not follow him back to the family business. The CEO though he had killed the son but had just knocked him unconscious. After three days in intensive care. The Son made his way back to his father so that he could tell his father about the people he had met. The Son had made a list of all the people’s names that belonged in the family business and wanted to be there. He had arranged with the daughter of the Father to lead people back to the family home. All they needed to do was show that they had signed a covenant agreement.

Join the family business I say.....

Cheers

Greg